I really enjoyed my two weeks in Ireland, despite a few problems just before our departure -a mindless idiot smashed up my car-and the terrible weather !
Our base in West Cork was Goleen, staying in a cottage owned by Violet and Richard Connel: the best quality self-catering accomodation I've ever found. Violet also does B & B on their dairy-farm, her breakfasts are reputed to be the best in Ireland !
Take a look at their site
http://www.fortviewhousegoleen.com
We had to rent a car, so we needed to keep our mileage under control ! This corner of West Cork offfers a remarkably good choice of marks , so that wouldn't be a big problem !
For those that know the area, these are the marks I fished :
Dooneen pier and a rock mark opposite, on Sheepshead, Bantry airport
Strand, Dunmanus-rock mark , Toor-rock mark, Vaud Creek-rock mark,
Galley Cove, Toormore Channel.
I tried all states of the tide, but without doubt the late eveningswere always best. I lost count of the number of fish I / we caught except for the one ocassion when I blanked and my good lady got two cracking pollock at Toormore !
No rays this year unfortunately , just the expected wrasse and
pollock to 4 pounds , dogs and a few huss to 6 pounds and mack.
All methods caught: float, spinning , bottom. The wrasse loved the juicy fresh lug and white-rag from Crookhaven. I tend to concentrate on lures that I know will always catch: Abu Kosters and for late evening, a black flying C- a real killer !
For our second week in Connemara we rented a cottage near Spiddle :
http://www.thatchcottage.com/
The owner, Nancy Naughton also does B & B - it's great to have the freedom of a cottage with the option of a good breakfast if we fancy one ! Cloch na Scith was really charming, with fantastic views over to Clare and the Burren !
This was a new area to me and I promised to fish a little less than the previous week ! Things got off to a good start the first evening with plenty of small pollock , spinning on the rocks in Spiddle itself. The next day we decided to head off towards Clifden and fish late afternoon somewhere that looked "fishy" , which was at a mark known as the "White Lady". I lost count of the fish: wrasse, mack and pollock, spinning and on the float, dogs and small turbot on the bottom.
During the week , the other marks fished were Omey Island-good bait digging and Lettermullan Island, opposite Golam Island- giving fantastic views over to Innishmor. This was my last session, to use up the last of the fresh-lug. I was not disappointed , being smashed-up by monster wrasse !
I wanted to fish on Innishmor , but the forecast was so bad that I did not take my tackle with me the day we visited. We flew-over, O.K , it's more expensive but worth it for the views !
It's hard to condense 2 weeks of fishing in a report but I've done my best ! If any one wants more information on a mark, just send me a message !
Despite Ireland becoming a bit pricey, it's still a great place to visit !
Postscript :
I forgot to add that all fish apart from two pollock were returned.
I have been checking my photos , but apart from one or two they are rather disappointing !
A word of thanks to the guy at Halfway Angling Centre for his help and advice. It must be the most disorganised shop in Ireland !